Mailing-tube.



No. 66!,747. Patented Nnv. l3, I900.

J. SPINK.

.MAILING TUBE.

(Application filed Aug. 9. 1900.:

(No Model.)

THE "cams PiTERS ca. movaumov, umswnawu, u. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. SPINK, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF THIRTEENTWENTY-FIFTI-IS TO GEORGE W. NOTH, OF SAME PLACE.

MAILING-TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 661,747, dated November13, 1900.

Application filed August 9, 1900. Serial No. 26,430. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. SPINK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Mailing-Tube, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has relation to a mailing tube or wrapper, the objectbeing to produce an inexpensive article of this character embracing acardboard container, a light flexible wrapper therefor, and aretaining-strip secured to the inner face of the body and havingterminal flaps or tabs designed to be turned into the opposite ends ofthe rolled contents of the tube for the purpose of preventing theaccidental displacement of the former.

The objects of the invention are to produce atube adjustable to varioussizes and formed in a manner to reduce the liability of breakage to theminimum, as well as to furnish a smooth exterior surface for thereception of the address, and to provide means for preventing theaccidental displacement of the contents of the tube.

To the accomplishment of the several end's stated the invention consistsin forming a mailing-packet composed of a cardboard containertransversely scored to render it sufficiently flexible without liabilityof breakage, a light flexible wrapper secured at a point intermediate ofits length to the outer face of the container at one end thereof, and aretaining-strip secured upon the interior surface of the container atits opposite end and provided with terminal flaps or tabs designed to befolded into the ends of the rolled contents of the mailing-tube whenformed.

The invention further consists in the details of construction andarrangement hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and defined in the claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my mailing-tube asorganized for use. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the devicebefore being rolled into tubular form, and Fig. 4 is a sectional viewthrough the subjectmatter of Fig. 1.

Referring to the numerals of reference employed to designatecorresponding parts and structural peculiarities in the several views,

1 indicates a cardboard or other suitable sheet which I shall designateas the container, inasmuch as this sheet when rolled constitutes atubular mailing-packet designed to contain and to effect the safetransportation of inclosed mail-matter. The sheet 1 is provided upon itsouter face with a longitudinal series of transverse parallel scores 2,extending continuously and completely across the sheet 1 to render thelatter sufficiently flexible to be rolled into small compass withoutdanger of breaking.

3 indicates a light flexible wrapper,of paper or other suitablematerial, preferably, although not necessarily, coextensive in widthwith the sheet 1 and secured at a point intermediate of its ends to oneend of the outer face of the sheet 1. The manner of securing the wrapperto the cardboard sheet or container is not essential; but itpreferablyconsists in gumming the latter adjacent to one end and in.causing the wrapper to adhere thereto along a transverse line locatedsome What nearer one end of the wrapper to form a sealing-flap 4 and asomewhat longer addressflap 5, the flap 4 being disposed beyond the endof the cardboard sheet and the flap-5 being imposed upon said sheet, butunattached thereto except at its end, and of somewhat less length thanthe container. At the end of the sheet 1 opposite the sealing-flap 4 atransverse retaining-strip 6 is secured to its inner facethat is to say,to the unscored surface of the sheet 1. The strip 6, which is designedto efiect the secure retention of the mail-matter or other contents ofthe tube, is secured at its middle to the sheet 1 and is provided withterminal retaining flaps or tabs 7, which extend beyond the oppositeedges of the cardboard sheet and are unattached to the latter at itsends. Suitable adhesive material 8 having been placed upon the outeredge of the inner surface of the sealing-flap 4, the device is completeand ready for the reception of its contents.

The mail-matter is laid upon. what will become the inside face of theretainer or sheet 1, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the latteris rolled, beginning with the end opposite the sealing-flap. The scores2 permit the container to be rolled into tubular 'thesealing'andaddressing of the tube and form,an(l the wrapper will constitute asmooth external covering for the scored surface to facilitate theaffixing of an address. As the .roll is completed the sealingfiap 4 willbe caused to adhere to the address-flap and a complete closely-wound andsecurely-sealed tube will thus be formed. The retention of the contentsis additionally assured by turning in the tabs or terminal flaps 7 ofthe retaining-strips6, and the device is ready for transportation.

It will appear from the foregoing that I have produced an inexpensiveand efficient mailing-tube designed before use to have a fiat sheet-likeform and capable of being rolled up to produce a tubular receptacle ofsuch diameter as is necessary for the retention of the mail to betransported and provided with sealing and address flaps and a retainingstripgallfarranged in a manner to facilitate thesecu re retention of thecontents; but while the-present embodiment of the invention is believedto be preferable I reserve the right to effect such structuralvariations as may be fairly embraced within the spirit of the invention.

What I claim isa 1. A mailing-packet com prisingacontainersheet designedto be rolled into tubular form and provided upon its outer surface withequidistant transverse sc-ores extending entirely across the sheet, anda comparatively thin wrapper affixed at a point intermediate of its endsto one extremity of the scored surface of the sheet the loose portionsof the wrapper at opposite sides of the point of the attachment defininga sealing-flap located beyond the sheet and an address-flap oflesslength than the sheet and designed. to constitute a smooth coversurrounding the tube when formed, and attached to the sealing-flap.

2. A mailing-packet comprisingacontainersheet provided upon oneextremity of its inside face with a retaining-strip having loose endsand having attached to the opposite extremity of its outside face anintermediate portion of a comparatively thin wrapper, the opposite endsof said wrapper being unattached and defining an address-fiap and asealing-flap at opposite sides of the attachment ofthe wrapper to thecontainersheet.

3. A mailing-packet comprisingacontainersheet provided at one end with aretainingstrip affixed to its inner surface and a comparatively thinwrapper afifixed at a point intermediate of its length to the outer faceof the sheet and at the end thereof opposite the retaining-strip, theportions of said wrapper disposed at opposite sides of its point of'atitachment defining a sealing-flap located beyond the sheet and a looseaddress-flap extending over the sheet, and said retainingstrip beingattached to the sheet at a point intermediate of the ends of the stripto define loose retaining-tabs disposed at opposite ends of the packetwhen the latter is organized for use.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD J. SPINK.

Witnesses:

W. R. MAINEs, H. P. 8110111.

